Animated toy



April 18, 1939- J. VILLEMEJANE 2,155,002

ANIMATED TOY Filed April 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l QLZL/Q hVE ZY J l lllemc lth C April 18, 1939. J. VILLEMEJANE 2,155,002

' ANIMATED TOY Filed April 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 18, 1939' PATENT OFFICE,

ANIMATED TOY Jacques Villemjane, Paris, France Application April 16, 1936, Serial No. 74,745 In France March 12, 1936 16 Claims.

The present invention relates to animated dolls, puppets, and the like.

The object of the present invention is to provide a toy of, this kind, representing a human or animal figure with two feet, capable of walking automatically with a natural movement of the legs, without any external support, under the action of suitable driving means, such for instance as a spring motor adapted to be wound up by means of a key or through any other suitable means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy of the kind above referred to including means whereby, when the doll meets an obstacle or reaches the edge of the surface on which it is moving, for instance the edge of a table, said doll is automatically stopped or caused to turn in another direction, or again caused to walk in a rearward direction.

Another object of .the invention is to provide a toy of the kind above referred to which is capable of walking not along a straightlinebut along any desired curved line, for instance a circumference.

With such a toy, the movements of the doll are very similar to those of a man or animal walking in a perfectly natural manner, and, on the other hand there is no risk that the toy, reaching for instance the edge of a table on which it is walking, may drop from said table, so that it becomes unnecessary to watch the toy in order to prevent injury thereof.

Up to the present time, it was endeavoured to imitate walking movements by providing the toys with rollers or wheels or by suspending them by means of threads, as in the case or marionettes.

According to an essential feature, the displacement of the doll on its legs with a natural walking or running movement is obtained very simply 4.0 owing to the fact that both legs are pivoted about a common axis and are given a continuous oscillating movement about said axis by means of any suitable driving means, such for instance as a spring motoror an electric motor acting on a double crank, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the legs, the two arms of said double crank being located in planes passing through the axis of said crank and making a suitable angle (for instance 180) with each other, said arms being engaged in respective slots provided in the legs.

Each leg is provided, at its lower end, with a foot theupper part of which may be given any suitable shape corresponding to the usual shape of the figure represented by the doll, while the sole of this foot is preferably given the shape of a segment of a cylinder the radius of curvature of which is equal to the distance from the cylindrical surface in question to the axis of 0scillation of the legs. .5

The front part of each foot may be made of an area sufficient in order that, in the course of the oscillations of the body of the doll resulting from the alternating oscillatory movement of the legs, the center of gravity and the center 10 of inertia of the doll may be located on vertical lines passing inside the supporting base of the toy, that is to say in such manner that the doll cannot overturn. Besides, the dimensions of the feet may be reduced to those of normal feet by 16 lowering the center of gravity of the doll. In all cases, as above explained, the projection of the center of gravity on the surface on which the toy is moving must be always located, whatever be the position of the doll, inside the polygon 20 limited by the points of contact of the supporting base with said surface.

In order that the doll, in the course of the above mentioned alternating oscillations of the legs, may be given a irontward walking or running 26 movement, the center of gravity of the doll must, according to the present invention, be located ahead of the center of curvature of the sole of the feet. If this center of gravity were located along the same vertical line as this center of 30 curvature, the doll would merely perform a skating movement on .the spot without moving forward or backward. On the contrary, when the center of gravity is located ahead of the center of curvature the doll is given a forward move- 35 ment. When it is desired to obtain a backward movement of the toy, the center of gravity is located behind the center of curvature of the sole of the feet. Preferably] this center of curvature coincides with the axis of oscillationof the legs.

Therefore, the walking doll or the like according to the present invention is characterized in that, on the one hand, the legs of said doll are both pivoted about a common axis and are given an alternating oscillating movement, and, on the other hand, the center of gravity of the doll is located ahead of the above mentioned center of curvature of the feet, in such manner, that, when the legs are oscillating, the doll is given a frontward walking movement.

Another essential feature of the present invention consists in taking advantage of the possibility of displacing the center of gravity of the doll for modifying the walking or running movement of said doll, that is to say for changing the in direction or reversing the direction of the movement. This may be obtained in several different ways, and the invention is not limited to any specific meansfor obtaining this result. For instance, the displacement of the center of gravity may be obtained by modifying the mean inclination of the doll with respect to the under faces of the feet when said feet come into contact with an obstacle orv reach the edge of the surface on which the doll is moving, the ends of the feet being especially arranged for this purpose, or an auxiliary organ, carried by the doll, such as a stick for instance, being provided for the same purpose.

I may also arrange, inside the doll, a movable mass the position of which cah be modified angularly with reference to the axis of oscillation of the legs.

The position of this mass is for instance modifled by a suitable arrangement of the under surface of the feet when the latter reach the edge of the surface (table for instance) on which the doll is moving.

I may also provide an auxiliary member, such as a cane carried by the doll and in contact I with the ground and capable, when it loses contact with the ground, to act on means adapted to displace the movable mass inside the doll, thus modifying the position of the center of gravity of the whole.

This modification of the direction in which the doll is walking may be obtained in various other ways, as it will be apparent from the examples hereinafter described.

In order to prevent the feet from sliding on the ground and to improve the stability of the doll when it is walking, that is to say in order to increase the coeihcient of friction between the soles of the feet and the ground, thus facilitating the forward movement of the doll, I may find it advantageous to modify the shape of the soles, which, as above stated, is generally cylindrical. For instance these soles may be provided with grooves, projections forming stops, plane parts, and so on, and also with coatings of matters having a high coefhcient of friction and which brake falling movements.

When it is desired to obtain a dancing movement from right to left or from left to right, the feet may bemade of a weight which is considerable with respect to that of the body.

In order to obtain certain dance steps, the movement of the legs can be controlled by the driving part with a predetermined succession, the angular position of the crank pins being for instance different from 180. 7

By reducing the curvature of the soles, the general shape of which is cylindrical, I may obtain a shambling movement, or, in the case of a motor working at high speed, a hopping moveto the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a lateral elevational view of a doll according to the present invention, diagrammatically illustrating the principle on which the movement is based;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows the inner mech- Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view of another embodiment in which the stick is adapted to cause the doll to turn;

Figure 7 is a detail view illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 8a is a cross section on the line 8a-8a of Fig. 8;

Fig.- 9 is a digrammatical view of a special construction of the sole of the foot, intended to modify the walk;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view, partly in section, of another embodiment of an articulated foot, provided with a movable device permitting to modify the angular position of the feet;

Figs. 11 and 12 are views similar to Fig. 10 but corresponding to diflerent relative positioned the parts;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the sole of a foot made according to Figs. 10 to 12.

Although the doll shown by the drawings represents-a human figure, it should be well understood that the invention applies quite as well to any toy representing ananimal walking on two feet. v

In Fig. 1 I have diagrammatically shown a walking doll working on theprinciple of the present invention Reference character I designates the horizontal axis about which legs 2, carrying feet 3, are pivoted. Reference character 4 designates the center of gravity, located ahead of axis I, in the direction of movement of the doll. I have designated by an arrow the projection of the center of gravity on the ground. It is clear that this projection is located inside the supporting polygon limited by the feet, as visible for two different positions of the doll represented by Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown an embodiment of a simple driving mechanism which, as above stated, is intended merely to permit of better understanding the principle of the invention, without in any way limiting the latter. This specific motor might be'replaced by. any other motor. The alternating oscillation movement of legs 2 is produced by means of a crank 5 the axis of which is parallel to axis i and the crank pins 6 of which are located in two planes making an angle of 180 with each other, when it is desired to obtain a frontward rectilinear movement. These crank pins 6 are engaged in slots 1 provided in the legs. On crankshaft 5 there is keyed a pinion 8 in mesh with another pinion 9 keyed on a shaft ll driven by a spring motor Ill. The

operation of such a mechanism is perfectly clear and need not be described.

This device produces a forward movement as long as the center of gravity of the doll is located ahead of the axis of oscillation of the legs, occupying for instance the position shown at 4, by way of example. when the doll ,is moving on the table, it may walk past the edge thereof and drop, with a serious danger of said doll being broken or the mechanism thereof being brought out of action. In order to avoid this risk, I provide means formodifying the movement of the.

doll by suitably displacing the center of gravity of the doll when the latterreaches the edge of the table.

According to an embodiment of the invention this center of gravity is then suddenly brought into a position in which it is behind the axis of oscillation I of the legs 2. Therefore, if the legs keep moving with an alternating oscillation movement as above, the doll is suddenly causedv to move rearwardly, that is to say with a movement opposed to that with which it was moving precedingly, as long'as the position of its center of gravity remain's behind the center of curvature.

of the sole of the feet.

'A first embodiment of an arrangement of this kind is shown in Figs. 4. and 5, in which the doll carries a stick l2 of the shape of a normal stick carried by a man taking a walk. This stick slides on the ground ahead of the body of the doll. If, in the course ofits movement, the doll comes by arm l3, its end 20 releases hook l1 and therenear the edge of the table on which it is walking, stick l2 drops as soon as it has been moved past the edge of the table. As soon as the stick drops, the arm l3 of the doll, connected to said stick, is given a pivoting movement. In the course of this movement, arm l3 pushes the end H of a lever pivoted to the body of the doll about a fixed axis l5. The other end of said lever forms a catch 20 adapted to cooperate with a hook I! carried by a mass l9 pivoted to the body of the toy about an axis l8. When the lever is pushed fore mass 19. This -mass is then allowed to pivot about axis l8 under the action of gravity,

this displacement taking place in a rearward with the end 20 of the lever, and the doll again walks in a frontward direction.

It should be well understood that this displacement of mass l9 may be controlled by the position of stick l2 in any other suitable manner, the

specific arrangement above described being given merelyby way of diagrammatic example.

This operation may for instance be obtained owing to the fact that both end I4 and end 20 of the lever pivoted about axis l5 (see Fig. 5)

are formed in the shape of forks, a rod fixed to arm 13 engaging between the branches of the two forks and acting-upon a part rigidly connected to mass it! and therefore compellin said mass to automatically follow the displacements of the arm. I

It should be well understood that the movable mass might also be controlled directly by the displacements of the arm l3 that carries stick [2,.

said movable mass being pivoted to an extension of thisarm. In a general manner, I may employ any mechanism operative by the displacement of the arm carrying the stick for varying the position of the center of gravity of the whole toy.

In Fig. 6 I have shown another embodiment. In this example, stick l2, which is of the same kind as that above referred to, instead of varying the position of the center of gravity of the doll, creates an obstacle foroneof the feet of'the doll so as to cause said doll to turn in another direction. For this purpose, arm I3 acts, through two connecting rods 2! and 22, on a rod 23 disposed along the passage provided for one of the legs 2, and provided at its lower end with a point 2!. Under normal conditions of walking of the doll on the supporting surface (table for instance),

' as shown in solid lines in Fig. 6, point 24 remains ing point 24 to project from the under surface of the foot. This projection 24, coming into contact with the surface on which the doll is walking, forms a kind of pivot and the direction of walking of the doll is modified, thus preventing it from dropping over the edge of the table.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown another embodiment of the invention, in which the displacement of the center of gravity, when stick l2 drops beyond the edge of the table, results not from a displacement of a movable mass inside the toy but from a modification of the inclination of the body of the doll, the foot pivoting about a kind of artificial ankle with respect to the "leg. For this purpose, foot 3 is fixed to leg 2 through a pin or spindle fixed in the lower nd of the leg, at rightangles to the direction of walking, about an axis 25. The hinged connection includes an extension 26 carried by the foot and pivoted about the above mentioned axis 25, as shown on the left hand side of Fig. 8. The edges of the upper part of the foot and of the lower part of the leg are not parallel but form a certain angle with one another, so that, between these two parts, there is formed a wedge-shaped interval, 21 and 28 respectively (see right hand. side of Fig. 8a). This shape of the surfaces of contact of the lower ends of the legs and of the upper parts of the feet permits said feet to assume either of two different angular positionswith respect to the respective legs, by pivoting about axis 25. The foot can be locked in either of these two angular positions (see Fig. 7). This locking is obtained through a kind of stirrup 29 carried by a rod 30 pivoted at 3| to arm l3. This end of rod 30 is located between two branches, of a stirrup 32, carried by arm l3. ,When arm l3 moves, under the effect of stick l2, as above explained, rod 30 pivots; toward the right hand side or the left hand side of the drawings, under the action of stirrup 32, and one of the ends of stirrup 29 leaves the'wedge-shaped housing (2'! or 28) while the other end of the stirrup enters the other housing which is formed as a result of the pivoting of leg 2 with respect to foot-3. The angularposition of the foot with respect to the leg is thus modified, which in turn produces the modification of the inclination of the body of which both legs arepivotedfThis arrangement shown in dotted lines.

permits of changing the forward walking movement into a rearward movement.

In Fig. 9, I have shown, in a purely diagrammatic manner, "2. vertical section, a foot of a doll according to the invention. The curved line corresponding to the theoretical shape of the sole is The radius of this curve is equal to the distance from the ground to the axis about which the legs are pivoted. However, as above mentioned, it is useful, in most cases, to avoid a uniform sliding of the feet on the ground, in order to obtain a smoother walking movement. For this purpose, I provide, on the surface of the sole, a stop 34 located at the front part of said sole, and a heel 35, at the rear part of said sole, a groove 33 being provided between the heel and the remainder of the sole. This groove, which extends transversely to the direction of travel, interrupts the continuity of the sole.

In Figs. 10 to 13 I have shown another embodiment in which the doll can stop at the edge of a table, without requiring the use of a stick for displacing its center of gravity toward the rear. In this example, this rearward displacement of the center of gravity is obtained through a modification of the angle made by the foot with the leg, the connection between these elements consisting of a hinge.

Adverting more especially to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, it is clear that foot 3 is hinged to leg 2 about an axis 36 transverse to the direction of the walking movement. The sole of the foot is pro vided with a longitudinal notch or slot, as shown at 31 (see plan view of Fig. 13). In this slot is provided a curved lever 38 pivoted at its rear end, at 39, to the foot. The front end 38a of the lever is so shaped as to be able to bear upon the ground or other supporting surface along which the doll is walking. At a distance from the rear end of said lever about equal to one third of the length of the foot, a pointed rod 40 is fixed to lever 38. This rod engages in a cylindrical housing 4| provided in leg 2. This rod thus locks the foot with respect to the leg. The upper end of rod 40 is chamfered, as shown at 40a. When the doll is walking under normal conditions, rod 40 moves with a reciprocating sliding movement inside housing 4| under the effect 'of the relative movements of-lever 38 with respect to the foot (see Figs. 10 and 11). But this rod is not allowed to leave its housing. On the contrary, when the foot, on reaching the edge of the supporting surface along which the doll is moving, is in an overhung position, the front end 38a of lever 38 drops. Rod 40 is driven in a downward direction, into a position different from any of those it can assume under normal walking conditions. In this embodiment, as in those above described and including a walking stick |2, the action of lever 38 may be helped by providing a spring of mod-' erate strength. This displacement of greater amplitude of rod 40 inside its housing 4| brings this rod into a position such that only its chamfered end 400. remains inside housing 4|. From this time on, the rod cannot any longer have a rectilinear reciprocating movement inside housing 4| but, under the action of the foot of the doll the bevelled top of rod 40 comes against the front wall (in the direction of walking) of this housing, producing a modification of the angular position of the foot with respect to the leg, as clearly shown by Fig. 12 of the drawings.

It should be well understood that, changes in the direction of walking, or a given curved path of travel, or other similar results, could be obtained by correspondingly adjusting the feet of the doll, or by displacing the center of gravity thereof toward the 1.41; hand side or the left hand side from the median plane of the doll.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and efficient embodiments of the present invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A toy representing an animated figure, and especially a walking doll, which comprises, in combination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of the toy, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear upon the surface on which the toy is moving, having the shape of elements of cylinders having their generatrices parallel to said axis, and means for imparting reciprocating opposed movements to said legs respectively about said axis, the whole toy while in motion having its center of gravity constantly located in a fixed longitudinal plane thereof parallel to said direction of travel and outside of the transverse vertical plane passing through said axis and both of said legs when the latter are located side by side.

2. A toy representing an animated figure and especially a walking doll and which comprises, in combination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of said toy, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear on the surface along which the toy is moving, having the shape of elements of circular cylinders the common axis of which coincides with the axis about which the legs are pivoted, and means for imparting reciprocating opposed pivoting movements to said legs respectively about said axis, the whole toy while in motion being made to have its center of gravity constantly located in a fixed longitudinal plane thereof parallel to said direction of travel and ahead of the transverse vertical plane passing through said axis and both of said legs when the latter are located side by side.

3. A toy representing an animated figure, and especially a walking doll, which comprises, in

combination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of said toy, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear upon the surface along which the toy is moving, having the shape of elements of cylinders having their generatrices parallel to said axis, each of said legs being provided with a slot extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of said leg, a crankshaft J'ournalled in said body having crank pins arranged in substantially opposed relation and engaging in said slots, and a clockwork mechanism supported by said body and arranged to drive 4. A toy according to claim 3 in which said crank pins are located in planes passing through the axis of the journal of said crankshaft and making an angle of 180 with eachother.

5. A toy representing an animated figure, and especially a walking doll, which comprises, in combination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of the toy, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear upon the surface along which the toy is moving, having the shape of 'elements of cylinders having their generatrices parallel to said axis, means for imparting reciproe eating opposed movements to said legs, respectively, about said axis, the whole toy while in motion having its center of gravity constantly located in a fixed longitudinal plane thereof parallel to said direction of travel andbeing ahead of the transverse plane of said toy passing through said axis and both of said legs when the latter are located side by side, and means for preventing further forward movement of said toy when it is nearing the edge of the surface on which it is moving.

6. A toy representing an animated figure, and especially a walking doll, which comprises, in combination, albody, two legs pivoted to said'body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of the toy, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear upon the surface along which the toy is moving, having the shape of elements of cylinders having their generatrices parallel to said axis, means for imparting reciproeating opposed movements to said legs, respectively, about said axis, the whole toy while in motion having its center of gravity. constantly lolatter are located side by side, and means for 75 which the legs are pivoted.

changing the direction of movemeht of said toy 'when it comes to a predetermined distance from the edge of the surface on which it is moving.

7. A toy representing an animated figure and especially a walking doll which comprises, in combination, a body, two legs pivotedto said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of said toy, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear on the surface along which the toy is moving, having the shape of elements of circular cylinders the axis of both of which coincides with the axis about which the legs are pivoted, means for imparting reciprocating opposed pivoting movements to said legs respectively, about. said axis, the whole toy while in motion having its center of gravity constantly located in a fixed longitudinal plane thereof parallel to said direction of travel and being ahead of the transverse plane' of said toy passing through said axis and both of. said legs when the latter are located side by side, and means for automatically bringing the center of gravity of the toy behind said transverse plane, whereby the direction of travel of the toy is reversed, as soon as it comes to a predetermined distance from the edge of the surface on which it is moving.

8. A toy according to claim 1 in which the under faces of said feet are so shaped that their radius of curvature is greater than the distance between said under faces and the axis about 9. A toy according to claim 1 in which the under faces of said feet are provided with at least one projection, and a transverse groove in the intermediate part of each foot, for improving the stability of the walking movement.

10. A toy representing an animated figure an especially a walking doll, which comprises, in combination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse tothe direction of travel of ,saiddoll, two feet carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear on the surface along which the toy is moving, being of substantially cylindrical shape with generatrices parallel to said axis, means for imparting reciprocat ing opposed pivoting movements to said respective legs about said axis, a mass movably carried by said body arranged in such manner that, in any of its relative positions, the center of .gravity of the toy is located in a fixed longitudinal plane thereof parallel to said direction of travel and outside of the transverse planeof said toy passing through said axis and both of said legs when thelatter are located side by side, of a closed polygonthe vertices of which coincide with the points of contact of said feet with the ground, means for normally locking said mass in a position for which the center of gravity of the toy is located ahead of said transverse plane, and means for automatically causing said mass to come into a position for which the center of gravity of the whole toy is locatedbehind said transverse plane as soon as said toy comes to a predetermined distance from the edge of the surcombination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of said toy, two feet carried by the lower'endsof said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear on the surface along which the toy is moving, being of substantially cylindrical shape with generatrices parallel to said axis, means for imparting reciprocating opposed pivoting movements to said respective legs about said axis, a mass pivotally carried by' said body about a transverse horizontal axis aroperative by said stick when the latter drops as a consequence of being pushed beyond the edge of said supporting surface, for bringing said locking means out of-action.

12. A toy representing an animated figure, and

especially a walking doll, which comprises, in

combination, a body, two legs pivoted to said body about a common axis transverse to the direction of travel of said toy, two feet'carried by the lower ends of said legs, respectively, the under faces of said feet, adapted to bear on the surface along which the toy is Walking, being of substantiallycylindrical shape with generatrices parallel to said axis, means for imparting reciprocating opposed pivoting movements to said respective legs about said axis, said feet bein 'pivotally connected to the corresponding legs about axes parallel to said first mentioned axis of the toy is located behind said axis as soon as said toy comes to a predetermined distance from the edge of the surface on which it is walking.

13. A toy according to claim 12 in which the last mentioned means include a stick carried by the toy so as to slide on the supporting surface along which the toy is moving, ahead of said tog, and means, operative by said stick when the latter drops as a consequence of its being pushed beyond the edge of said supporting surface, for bringing said locking means out of action and bringing said legs into their second mentioned position with respect to said feet.

14. A toy according to claim 12 in which said locking means include 9. fed slidable both in each foot and the corresponding leg, the last mentioned means of claim 12 including a lever pivoted to said foot soas to bear upon the supporting surface along which the toy is moving, said lever being adapted to keep said rod inside said leg and said foot as long as said lever is bearing upon said supporting surface but to allow said rod to slide out from said leg when the lever drops as a consequence of its being moved past the edge of said supporting surface.

15. A toy according to claim 1 in which the feet are of difierent-weights, whereby the, toy moves along a curved path.

16. A toy according to claim 1 in which the center of gravity of the toy is in a-plane distinct from the plane of symmetry of the toy. 

